Industrial Revolution Flashcards
Define the Industrial Revolution
1750-1900
Period when economy changed from an agricultural to a factory based system
What Revolution preceded the Industrial Revolution in Britain?
The Agrarian Revolution
What was the population in Britain in 1750?
6 million
What was the population of Britain in 1811?
18 million
What was the population of Britain in 1850?
27 million
What did the ‘Wealth of Nations’ propose?
Free market and laissez-faire economics to promote economic growth
Who wrote the ‘Wealth of Nations’ and when did he write it?
Adam Smith in 1776
Why is banking considered to be a cause of the Industrial Revolution?
Because it funded business ventures and start-ups
Why did the Newcomen steam engine and the Spinning Jenny kickstart the Industrial Revolution?
Because the engine was the prototype for steam-powered factories and the Spinning Jenny revolutionised the textile industry
How many banks had been established by 1784?
119
How many banks had been established by 1800?
800
Why was banking seen to be secure in Britain?
Because the exchange of receipts or bills for gold deposits was the beginning of paper currency
What were county banks allowed to do alongside city banks in 1797?
Issue bank notes / paper currency
What was removed from small country banks in 1826 to enable them to grow into joint stock banks?
A cap on banks to give them the right to issue notes
What was the name of the first joint stock bank?
Lancashire Banking Company - 1826
What was Britain credited with being the ‘workshop of the world’?
Because it was the first country to have an industrial revolution that by 1850, was the envy of the world
What term is used to describe small scale industry performed in homes?
Cottage industry
By how many million pounds of cotton did importations increase by between 1761 and 1833?
297 million
Name 2 other (apart from the Spinning Jenny) machines which transformed the cotton industry?
Samuel Crompton’s Spinning Mule in 1779
Richard Arkwright’s Water Frame in 1769
Give 3 reasons / factors that caused the Industrial Revolution
Technology, Banking, Entrepreneurs, Natural Resources, is a small country (easy to travel to coast), navigable rivers, peaceful country, Protestant work ethic, stable government
Why was Lancashire good for cotton mills?
Cool climate stopped cotton thread from splitting, close to port of Liverpool (slave trade port), access to trading links, eastern coast closer to trade links (America), railway from Manchester to Liverpool built in 1830
Before steam-powered engines were invented, where were factories / mills sited?
Close to rivers to power engines / machines
Which raw material powered the steam engine?
Coal
In what areas of the UK did the Industrial Revolution thrive?
North West = textile manufacturing
North East = mining
Midlands = engineering
Why did the Industrial Revolution thrive in these areas?
Access to raw materials / water ways / close to ports / access to labour supply
Which farming invention promoted greater productivity in agricultural areas?
Seed drill, threshing machine
What is the difference between mechanisation of work in the agricultural south and the industrial north?
It takes jobs away from agricultural labourers but creates jobs for industrial workers
How would you describe the south-west and south-east of Britain during the Industrial Revolution?
Agricultural mainly, except for tin mining in Cornwall and pockets of manufacturing in London / some big towns
What areas of the UK became industrial centres as a result of the Industrial Revolution?
North east, north west, Clyde valley, welsh valleys, Birmingham, Cornwall
Which transportation systems were prevalent in the 1700s?
Horse, cart, carriage, canal system, boats
When did railways really begin to herald the dawn of a new transportation age?
1830s / 1840s
Why was the Statue of Artificers Act repealed?
To enable employers to get round any regulations, to take away rights and privileges for apprentices
When were ‘laissez-faire’ economic policies in operation and what were they designed to do?
On and off depending on issue throughout the first half of 19th century
How did the Industrial Revolution impact on the social structure of Britain?
Created new classes (e.g. proletariat / industrial working class and middle class
What were the attributes of the new middle class?
Self-improvement, women’s roles becoming separate spheres
Name 1 negative outcome of the relationship between the new middle class and the urban working class
Lack of unity
Diverse value systems
Name 1 positive outcome of the relationship between the new middle class and the urban working class
Some unity in ideals
Belief in education
When was the Great Exhibition and why was it important?
1851 - showcased the best of Britain as ‘the workshop of the world’
